Moments of Calm: Nature Notes and a New Cookery Book

We were  hopeful of more snow in London today, other than a continuous flurry of disappointingly, tiny, cold wet flakes alongside a bitingly cold wind, it never came.  Maybe we have to content ourselves with the unexpected snowfall we had a couple of weeks ago.

Snowdrops

In the neighbouring village to the one I grew up in, in Norfolk, there is always a spectacular display of snowdrops in and around the tiny village church yard.  For as long as I can remember, I have always gone to look at them and in more recent years, of course photograph them.  Winter is not winter without snowdrops.  However, with a trip to Norfolk, or indeed anywhere still on a somewhat distant horizon,  I’ve had to look for them much closer to home.  Fortunately I found them along with a carpet of purple crocuses yet to burst through in a local cemetery.  I have written of my fondness for cemeteries before and our local one was on one of our regular lockdown walking routes during the spring and early summer when it was bursting with new life (I know!). I haven’t been for a while so it was good to discover it again, full of hardy winter blooms.

The Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady

‘The Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady’ is the predecessor to the very well known ‘The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady’. I picked up a copy from a second hand book shop wander a year or so ago and have since formed a habit of turning  to it at the beginning of a new month.  The collection of nature notes, beautiful drawings, poetry and observations are a lovely way for a city dweller to be reminded of those aspects of nature which can be overlooked when not at close quarters with rural life.  This week I read a poem called Snowdrop by Keble, which I delightedly turned to again this morning after our snow drop quest.

Thou first-born of the year’s delight

Pride of the dewy glade,

In vernal green, and virgin white

Thy vestal robes array’d

A New Cookery Book

I gave myself some dedicated kitchen pottering time on Saturday afternoon, in order to try a recipe from a recently acquired cookery book, ‘Caravan: Dining all Day’.  Caravan is an award winning collection of London restaurants who also happen to roast their own coffee.  Caravan coffee, both takeaway and brewed at home has been a highlight of all the lockdowns for me, and their cookery book is a delight.  Full of the kind of fresh and interesting food I want to eat.  While I cant currently go to any of their restaurants, I am enjoying drooling over the  pictures and recipes in the cookery book.

Coconut bread, with lemon curd cream cheese and poached rhubarb was my bake of choice this weekend.  It was very pleasing to take the time to bake something new. I enjoyed the methodical approach to creating each component separately.  It  became quite a mindful activity.  Coconut bread was a revelation and when fried in butter, It all came together beautifully for a  Sunday breakfast / brunch feast.

Wishing you a calm and peaceful week ahead. xx